Samsung's release of the new Galaxy Buds Live marks another addition to the varied number of wire-free earbuds that consumers can choose from. With the Galaxy Buds Live's new unique design and noise-canceling settings, Samsung is set on making the Galaxy Buds Live its new premium earbuds, but how do they compare to other wire-free earbuds like Google's Pixel Buds 2.
The Galaxy Buds Live were revealed during Samsung's Galaxy Unpacked event on August 5. The earbuds were announced alongside other Samsung devices, like Samsung's new tablet and iPad competitor, the Galaxy Tab s7. As well as the company's latest premium smartphone option, the Galaxy Note 20 series. In contrast, the Google Pixel Buds 2 were released earlier in 2020, after having been announced in late 2019.
The Galaxy Buds Live are an improvement over Samsung's previous Galaxy Buds+, with new features like noise cancellation and voice-activated Bixby. The Galaxy Buds Live also sport a new look, a sort of bean-shaped design without a silicone tip. According to Samsung, the design was made to "sit softly inside the ear, giving you a fit for all-day comfort with less fatigue." The Galaxy Buds are currently set at $169 which makes them $20 more expensive than the Galaxy Buds+
Galaxy Buds Live & Pixel Buds 2 Compared
While the Galaxy Buds Live are advertised as being premium earbuds they actually share a lot in common with the Pixel Buds 2. Both earbuds have touch control abilities, both can activate voice assistants with either touch control or voice command, and both have fast charging cases that have wireless charging capabilities. In terms of battery life, the Galaxy Buds Live do have an edge, offering 8 hours of playtime with a 29-hour battery life for the case. The Pixel Buds 2 only provide 5 hours of playtime with 24-hour battery life for the case.
The biggest differences between the two devices lie within the design and noise-canceling features. As stated, the Galaxy Buds Live have a very unique design as they are shaped more like a bean to ensure a snug fit in the ear. They don't have silicone tips but instead, have wingtips on the top to help make the fit even better. In contrast, the Pixel Buds 2 have a more traditional design with interchangeable rubber tips and a rubber wing at the top of the buds to keep them in place. The Galaxy Buds Live do offer Active Noise Cancellation which reduces background noise while allowing the user to still hear voices and announcements. In comparison, the Pixel Buds 2 don't feature any noise cancellation.
In terms of sound quality, both devices will sound similar and especially when listening to calls or podcasts. The Galaxy Buds Live offer more bass than Pixel Buds 2, which might make them a better purchase for some consumers. Other differences tend to lie within the color options, although overall the Galaxy Buds Live have a greater variety. There is not a steep price difference between the two earbuds, with the Pixel Buds being the more expensive, priced at $179. Overall, the two options are very similar, but with Samsung's unique design, longer battery life, and Active Noise Canceling, and at a slightly cheaper price, the Galaxy Buds Live are probably the better choice.